Green energy as important as education for people in Yorkshire as region signals it does expect Levelling Up to take place

Research released by professional services giant Deloitte in its annual State of the State report, produced alongside think tank Reform, showed that green energy was a higher priority for people in Yorkshire than spending on benefits or transport.

However, the report also showed the region to have a somewhat gloomy outlook.

In terms of opportunities for young people, only a quarter expected things to improve.

Yorkshire was shown to have the greatest clamour in the country for increased public spending, even if that entailed an increase in taxation or borrowing.

The findings are based on the insights of close to 6,000 adults across the country.

Ed Roddis, head of government & public services research at Deloitte, told this newspaper: “Yorkshire was the most supportive region for higher levels of public spending.

“The UK’s weak level of inter-generational social mobility is playing out in these responses. If you were born in the UK you are quite likely to have an income that is relative to your parents’ income, compared to other similar economies where social mobility is better.”

He added: “Overall, the survey paints a fairly pessimistic picture in lots of places and I think inevitably this pandemic has left the public pretty pessimistic on all fronts.

“But people in Yorkshire, when asked said they wanted Britain to be known most on an international scale for scientific and medical innovation, followed by climate change.

“I think that speaks volumes about where the public have got to.

“The UK public are more forward thinking than they are given credit for.

“It shows how up for net zero the public are and they do want to see the Government step forward and be leaders in this field.

“I think people sense the opportunity of it all.

“I think in the last year or two that the penny has dropped with the public on the scale of the challenge to take us to a net zero economy by 2050.

“But the scale and the opportunity is the penny that has dropped.”

Stuart Cottee, Deloitte’s senior partner for Yorkshire and the North East, said: “The Humber is the prime example.

“What is going on there is going to be hugely important to the region.

“There is quite a lot going on in the region which is probably why people are being more optimistic on this front.”

Mr Cottee said that the level of vacant roles across the region’s business community was at an unprecedented high.

“Most of our clients have got more job vacancies than they have ever had at any one point in time,” he said.

“It is pervasive across all of client bases.

“You read about lorry drivers and the people needed in factories but actually when you sit down with clients it is pretty much across every industry. There is a paucity of people at the moment.

“There are some real structural problems that need to be addressed.”